Well, the results of the 2008 Pulitzer Prizes were announced yesterday, and…

…it’s really no surprise to me that I and my work from Iraq didn’t end up as a winner or a “nominated finalist” (the Pulitzers’ equivalent of runners-up in the contest). To be sure, it would have been nice, and an incomparable honor, but I hardly expected to make it that far. Simply being nominated for the Prize in the first place was an amazingly humbling development.The final results in my category of nomination, International Reporting, broke down like this:

7. INTERNATIONAL REPORTING
For a distinguished example of reporting on international affairs, in print or in print and online, ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Awarded to Steve Fainaru of The Washington Post for his heavily reported series on private security contractors in Iraq that operate outside most of the laws governing American forces.

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: The New York Times Staff for its valorous and comprehensive coverage of America’s military efforts to reduce sectarian violence in Iraq, and The Wall Street Journal Staff for its in-depth reports on the dismantling of democracy in Russia under the leadership of Vladimir Putin.

I’m not disappointed in the least at this result; in fact, I’m still in awe over being nominated by somebody or some organization for this year’s awards. It’s humbling and moving to even have my work from Iraq considered for such a prestigious Prize.

Regardless, the most important thing is that these stories from those areas of Iraq where reporters fear to treaddo in fact, get out. That’s why we all do what we do — not for awards or other recognition, but to get these stories, and to inform the American people to the best of our respective abilities.

“leading one of the two air assaults that the 1-15 has performed to date, a raid on a chicken farm that was suspected of being a VB (vehicle-borne) IED factory”

While no VBIED factory was found (“Sure enough, it was a chicken farm,” Said Staff Sergeant Cory West, platoon sergeant for Baker Company’s 2nd Platoon), the mission was considered a success for multiple reasons.